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Zambia emeralds auctioned in Jaipur

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: Rough emerald stones from Zambia were put on a five-day-long auction at a five-star hotel here this week for the benefit of jewellers. About 115 firms specialising in coloured stones participated in the bids, which would be opened only late evening on Saturday.

The Zambia-based Kagem Mining Company, founded by Jaipur jeweller Shivshankar Gupta in collaboration with the Zambian Government about 20 years ago, brought the raw stones, referred to as "kharad" in local parlance, for the auction.

This was reportedly the first time in the country that rough stones were brought to the place where value addition takes place. Pink City is known all over the world for its coloured stones and emeralds take pride of place in the long list of stones which get polished here into exquisite forms.

"This is the first time in India that any outstation entrepreneur has brought the raw material for auction. Till now the Jaipur jewellers used to scout Zambia or Columbia for purchase of rough emerald stones," said Rajiv Jain, convener of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council. "This is a welcome step which would benefit the gemstone industry immensely."

Good response

"The response from Jaipur jewellers has been very good. We hope we can do this at regular intervals," said Shaba George, an official with Kagem Mining Company, talking to The Hindu on Saturday.

"The people as well as the authorities have been very cooperative. I would say it has been a good experience to be here."

The gem and jewellery trade circles here point out that if everything goes well the auction could be a regular feature in Jaipur.

"I hope it happens again. They would surely come if they don't feel any problem in being here," Mr. Jain observed.

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